The forty years of atrocious human rights violations perpetrated by the SPDC on the innocent citizens has a horrendous effect on the lives of thousands of people in the Shan State; it has completely disintegrated Shan Society and it will be a long time before it can become normal again.  Many Shan have seen their parents, husbands, relatives or friends being tortured in the most inhumane way and in most cases killed.  Many are internally displaced in the jungle, scavenging for food or have to flee to neighbouring countries where they become illegal immigrants with no identity.  Many children are also being orphaned and have to be cared for in orphanages.

The bad experiences they have been through and the disintegration of society have a long term physical and mental effect on many, especially on the young.  The Shan youths of today are sad, angry, full of bitterness and distrust.  Some are in shock, lost and confused as everything they value: their loved ones, home, society, identity and country all have been taken away from them.  Those who managed to get away from the Shan State are lucky but finding it hard because they have to start from the very beginning, finding a job, learning a different language and having to adapt to a new environment and culture. 

Thanks are due to the many NGO, Christian and Shan organisations who have devoted their time in helping these unfortunate people.

In order to support and help these young Shans to live a future meaningful life a group of Shans are forming a network based on the concept of promoting the common good amongst Shan Society so that people from the Shan State could develop a good understanding of each others’ feelings and bring them closer, and also for them to realise that they are not alone.

What is the Commongood ?

The Commongood requires us to care for others as well as ourselves; thus giving us a good feeling, or in other word a great happiness.  It advocates a kind of fellow-feeling for others and provides us with a sense of belonging, that in itself increases a good feeling and reduces our isolation.  Shan Society desperately needs to accept the concept of the common good and so unite its efforts to achieve success whatever its goal.

A society cannot flourish without some sense of shared purpose: search for truth to broaden our knowledge by reasoning and by fostering our respect for differences.  Bentham, the great thinker of the Enlightenment stated that the best society is one where the citizens are happiest.  Happiness comes from outside and from within.  The secret is compassion towards oneself and others.

How can we perform the Common Good ?

By studying our inner self i.e. by analysing our thoughts and feelings so that we understand our self and make it easier to understand others.  Since most Shans are Buddhist we should remind yourselves of Buddhist's  three essential disciplines: Ethical Conduct-based on love and compassion for all living things.  Mental Discipline - good concentration and mindfulness so as to develop and bring to perfection the good and wholesome state of mind already present in man.

Wisdom - according to Buddhist teachings, for a man to be perfect there are two qualities that he should develop equally, compassion and wisdom. 

We welcome people of different religious beliefs; members are free to follow the teaching of their own religions.

(Unfortunately for Shan people there is a black cloud over our lives caused by the SPDC’s forced occupation of our country and their heinous human rights violations.  Our first priority is to concentrate on the removal of this evil group of people.  We by ourselves cannot do this but we can play our part, no matter how small, to add to the combined effort of the people of Burma and the international community.

(The SPDC is at present in a very volatile state and it might explode any time.  This might or might not happen, but we must be prepared for it:  We must learn more about democracy and prepare ourselves for an election.  We must learn to identify the character, motives and ability of people so that we may elect people suitable to govern us.  A nation is not worth having unless it is a nation of the people and all the people taking part in its formation. A nation is only a conglomerate of its citizens; a nation does not act but people do.)

We must think of a new vision of how we can live and work together in harmony, both as social beings and in terms of our inner spirit.  Solidarity is a way of collectively defending oneself and a way of surviving.  The spirit then is of respect for diversity and of mutual peaceful co-existence.

Scan or Shan Common Good Active Network is not to compete with but to support existing Shan Society when required.

Although based in the UK anyone interested is welcome to join.  There will be no leaders as all members are equal.  We are all individuals and each of us will have his or her own points of view.  If a conflict should arise when a decision is to be made the result will be decided by votes.